Yesterday, Ray and I went on our first gut. It was in New Orleans parish on Gawain Dr. I have to say, I thought I knew what I was in for, but no, I was still shocked.Imagine a house that has sat since Hurricane Katrina for a year and half untouched. For a number of months after the flooding, that house sat underwater or partially submerged. Now walk in…the smell, the mold, the disarray of a once warm and occupied home assaults the senses. Imagine that that home is yours. Now imagine that you need to keep on working and taking your kids to school everyday and paying the bills. Or, if you were relocated, that you are doing those same things in another city, not New Orleans-your home. But still, your home and all of your belongings still lay in New Orleans untouched and festering.
Enter ACORN and other volunteer organizations like Emergency Community, Common Ground, NENA and many others. They are the Saints on the ground working to rebuild New Orleans and bring the many displaced families home.
We met at the ACORN office Saturday morning. After a brief orientation and some chit chat, we followed Eddie out to the job site. Brigid was already there and unloading our tools. I went into the house to take “before” pictures. WoW! Underwater for how long? I asked Brigid and Eddie if they are still shocked by houses like this and they said “No. After about the 12th house…you have pretty much seen it all.”
Now Eddie is a story! He’s comfortable, works for a great Louisiana business that is very involved in it’s communities and….he guts every weekend that he can. He doesn’t have to, but he does. He’s is certainly one of those Saints that we blogged about earlier!
Eddie and Ray were the first ones suited up and inside followed by Brigid. Each of them started on one of the bedrooms, Brigid took on the kitchen and I tackled the media room and it’s closet.
Eddie and Ray had to excavate their ways into the bedrooms.
I had to use a shovel to dislodge the items in the closet
and Brigid shoveled plates and dishes and anything else you find in a typical kitchen into a wheelbarrow. WE DO NOT OPEN REFRIGERATORS! AND DEFINITELY THINK TWICE AND PLAN IT OUT WITH YOUR TEAM LEADER BEFORE MOVING THEM!
We all took turns helping each other and wheeling or carrying loads of…..stuff…..to the curb where FEMA will come by and pick it up later.
We made 3 distinct piles:
- Household chemicals.
- Appliances and electrical wiring.
- Household belongings and construction debris (picture taken after 5 hours of demo).
It took us about 5 hours to remove all of the personal items, tear up all flooring and begin removing the trim. Take note future Saints: this last part is important as it makes removing drywall soooo much easier!
When ACORN comes back on Monday, they will remove the remaining kitchen appliances and cupboards and start on the walls and ceilings in the house. When they are finished, the house will be stripped down to the studs, floors swept and ready for rebuilding.
A tough but rewarding day followed by a hot shower and a night in downtown New Orleans with all of the wonderful music, food and people that she is known for.
From Yuck to Hope to Yay all in one Day!
David
Notes: This house was underwater. Note the mold all the way up the walls. We saw no waterlines in the neighborhood. That refrigerator was floating at one time and the only reason it was sitting like that was because it was still tethered to the electrical outlet. Ray said that he had to scoop out or dislodge the shoes from the top shelves of the closet.